Flydubai co-pilot accused of plotting attack on Tel Aviv-bound flight
A co-pilot on a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv attacked the aircraft's captain with an onboard crash axe in an attempted hijacking on Wednesday. Passengers and crew grappled with the assailant to regain control as the plane plummeted 14,000 feet in 29 seconds. The incident reveals what Israeli sources claim was a pre-planned terrorist attack: 29-year-old Hamam al-Hammami allegedly dreamt of crashing the aircraft into Ben-Gurion Airport to cause mass casualties, with what he considered a plot pre-dating his employment with Flydubai.
According to interrogation and intelligence sources, al-Hammami had previously attempted the plot in July but abandoned it when he realised a crew member he knew was on board. His alleged plan involved killing the captain before reaching Israel, then targeting either Ben-Gurion Airport or the Azrieli Towers near the military headquarters, mirroring the 9/11 attacks. Social media posts attributed to him revealed extremist views, including violent rhetoric towards women and support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He had previously worked for Oman Air as a trainee in 2024 but was removed from flying duties due to concerns about potential radicalisation following time spent in Syria.
- Co-pilot attempted hijacking of Flydubai flight to Israel on Wednesday
- Israeli sources claim he aimed to crash plane into Tel Aviv's main airport
- Had planned attack before joining airline; held extremist views
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A Flydubai co-pilot attacked the aircraft's captain with a crash axe on Wednesday during a flight heading to Tel Aviv. Passengers and crew members intervened to stop the assailant, and the plane was brought back under control after a rapid descent. Authorities are investigating the incident as an alleged planned terrorist attack.
The co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, is 29 years old and is being investigated for allegedly planning to crash the aircraft into Ben-Gurion Airport or another target near Tel Aviv's military headquarters. According to intelligence sources, al-Hammami had previously worked for Oman Air as a trainee in 2024 but was removed from flying duties following concerns about his potential radicalisation. He had reportedly spent time in Syria, and social media posts attributed to him contained extremist views.
Al-Hammami is reported to have attempted a similar plot in July but abandoned it when he realised a crew member he knew was on board. The incident has raised questions about the vetting procedures used by airlines when hiring flight crew with access to aircraft controls.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This incident exemplifies a serious, pre-planned terrorist attack successfully thwarted through effective security protocols. The evidence is substantial: the co-pilot had documented extremism, including previous exposure to radicalisation in Syria and concerning social media activity; he allegedly attempted a similar plot in July; and intelligence sources suggest months of planning before Wednesday's attack. The deliberate attempt to murder the captain with a crash axe, coupled with apparent intent to target either Ben-Gurion Airport or the Azrieli Towers, represents a coherent pattern consistent with premeditated terrorism. This validates the necessity of rigorous security vetting, particularly for personnel in sensitive positions with exposure to extremist ideologies.
The case against
Whilst the attack was undeniably serious, accepting the broader narrative about premeditation requires greater evidentiary caution, particularly given reliance on interrogation-derived claims and Israeli security sources whose institutional perspectives may shape incident characterisation. Extremist social media posts, even if authentic, don't reliably indicate concrete operational planning—many individuals express violent rhetoric without ever acting on it. A measured approach acknowledges the attack's severity whilst remaining sceptical of unverified terrorism allegations pending rigorous legal proceedings.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “‘Terrorist’ pilot ‘dreamed of crashing plane into Tel Aviv’s airport’ and had planned to hijack flight weeks ago ‘but was friends with a crew member on board’, sources claim”.